Be BAD is a philosophy I shared this past week with an out-of-state client whom I’ll call Jerri. Jerri was basically driving herself crazy trying to create her business goals for 2015. Going through the standard list of concerns for business owners, she identified things like increasing her social media presence, offering new products and services, and of course—bringing in more money! After mulling over six of her top picks, she was no closer to settling on anything that felt right to her.
I thought it was curious that Jeri used the phrase felt right, and asked her to expound on what that meant to her. Over the past five years, she’d been focused on expanding her business and had hoped to feel some sense of personal satisfaction in the process, but that wasn’t the case. Quite the contrary, the business she’d once been so passionate about had become another lifeless J.O.B.
A 10-minute discussion ensued with a litany of back and forth questions. After some deeper exploration, she began pinpointing exactly what she was searching for. Her voice lifted and her enthusiasm came through, and she clearly explained her #1 goal: She wanted to make a positive difference in the world using her own business as a teaching tool; specifically, she wanted to help unknown start-up companies get on the map by teaching them unique ways to use social media.
I suggested if she really wanted to make a difference in the world with her business, she needed to THINK and DO things differently and not settle for just being good— she needed to Be BAD. Here’s what I shared with her:
Be Better.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was “Be better, not bitter.” Initially this often means reversing one’s tendency to see the world as unfair, especially when everyone else seems to be getting ahead while you feel stuck in the mud. A great antidote to this affliction is to admire what other people have achieved, to be inspired by it, to figure out a way to follow in their footsteps—and to match their standard of excellence, if not surpass it!
Be Bold.
Endeavoring to make a meaningful difference starts with being bold. To me, being bold means going beyond the usual limits of conventional thoughts and actions, and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Being bold demands courage. It took courage for Will Turner at age 51 to become an Ironman. Now at age 57, he has set his sights on completing 6 consecutive Ironman events in the same year he hits 60. That’s bold man!
I’m also reflecting on my own bold choices in my professional life–to abandon a comfortable corporate job and subsequently start my own business. It’s downright scary to leave yourself with no financial net whatsoever while starting up and running a business from your own home and raising a 2½ year-old at the same time.
Decide on your own BOLD endeavor. If it’s scary, you are likely on the right track, (although it does make sense to run some of these ideas by your most trusted consultant friends who you can strike a balance between dreaming outside the box and going off the deep end.) There is also a HUGE benefit to be gained with every step you take towards realizing a bold dream. You experience a surge in self-confidence and in your sense of possibility for the whole of your life–and your boldness also serves to inspire others to take bold actions in their own lives.
Be Authentic.
This word gets thrown around a lot these days as a hip way of saying keep it real or be true to yourself. As such, its essential meaning has gotten watered down and muddled. To keep from writing an entire three-volume book series on the topic of being authentic, here is my take: Being authentic is, first and foremost, figuring out who you really are at your core, and being comfortable with it. Once that is solidly established for yourself, the next step is for you to place that authenticity in the driver’s seat of your life, projecting that core essence outwardly through your words and actions for all the world to see. This requires ongoing mindful awareness of the values that drive your daily decisions.
Being authentic is not something that happens overnight, but you can begin today. If you wish to be authentically generous, for example, take one simple action today that feels generous. If you want to bring more authenticity to your professional life, start today by weaving one or two aspects of your core values into your regular business practices.
As you hone in on the values that define you, you will become more consistent in weaving these values into your daily action. In time, it will require less thought and effort to live your life authentically; it is simply who you are, inside and out. It’s how you move through your life, day by day.
Be Deliberate.
Being deliberate is to do things with clear purpose and conscious intention. Being deliberate integrates the Better-Bolder-Authentic philosophy when approaching important decisions, whether you are sitting down to tackle your tasks for the day, exploring strategies to best achieve your goals for the year, or even figuring out the most peaceful and effective way to apologize to someone you love. Begin by asking yourself these three questions before you take action.
– How does this specific action help me to be better?
– How does this specific action help me to be bolder?
– How does this specific action help me to be more authentic?
This approach requires you to stop and think before taking action. In doing so, you are far more likely to avoid random blunders and make deliberate choices, creating notable changes in yourself that will eventually influence the people around you.
Being good at what you do doesn’t always mean you’re going to make an impact on the world. But sometimes it’s good to Be BAD if you’re going to be a catalyst for making a real difference.
